"The Nanny" star Fran Drescher who is the current Screen Actors Guild - American Federation of Television and Radio Artists (SAG-AFTRA) president, alluded to the end of vaccine mandates in Hollywood and her support for the move during her speech at Sunday night’s SAG Awards.
"As the nation declares an end to the COVID emergency this May, I hope we will see everyone return to work in equal opportunity," the 65-year-old actress said in her speech.
Hollywood's current COVID-19 protocols, which were originally set to end of January 31, will now expire on April 1.
Drescher also used her speech to place onus on Hollywood and use its wealth to influence politics and enact change.
"Our industry brings billions of production dollars to states across the nation, but if they want our business, let’s wield our financial influence to make governors act in the best interest of freedom, diversity, inclusion and democracy," she said during her speech. "As my character Bobbi Flekman said in ‘This Is Spinal Tap’ — money talks and bulls – – t walks!"
Drescher has previously made her anti-vaccine mandate stance clear, posting a video on Twitter in November last year that applauded Disney for ending its vaccine mandate.
"To think that every human on the planet can take one vaccine is ludicrous and to make that one vaccine the criteria for who is allowed work, travel, dine go to theater, etc. is an infringement on the Disabilities Act, the Freedom of Religion Act and body sovereignty," she said in her video monologue.
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She made clear that even though she herself is vaccinated, she believed Disney made the right decision.
"We as a nation must be very careful that fear does not turn into fascism, when equal citizens must stop being equal," she said. "When cards must be presented to identify whether you are included or excluded, we stand at a tipping point of an America I no longer recognize."
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In her SAG Awards speech, Drescher also lauded the partnership between SAG-AFTRA and the Green Council to make Hollywood more environmentally conscious with the aim to end the use of single-use plastic both on camera and behind the scenes to "leverage star power to challenge audiences around the world to do the same."
In addition, she applauded IMDb.com for "taking a stand against ageism, stereotyping and gender rigidity by allowing our members to define themselves their way on their profile page — for free" and congratulated her fellow Hollywood seniors on Medicare, who are also eligible "for a free supplemental benefit" as members.
